New School Year Brings New
and Old Challenges
|
|
For the past six months we've all been trying to figure out how to live our lives, help others, and earn a living within the restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
This is new to most of us so connecting with others and learning from their own experiences is more important than ever. I encourage anyone involved with a youth serving organization to make a consistent effort to share what you are learning and challenges you face.
|
|
The ideas and resources shared in this monthly newsletter can be used by anyone, in Chicago, or around the world, to help mentor-rich youth programs thrive in all of the neighborhoods where they are most needed, and to help understand and respond to these over-riding challenges.
|
|
Chicago Schools Re-Opening Plan
Since 1993 I've maintained a list of Chicago area non-school tutor, mentor and learning programs with two goals:
a) I can help them attract volunteers and donors;
b) I can help them learn from each other
I follow more than 100 of these organizations on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin, but few post regularly on all these platforms. The image at the left is from a Christopher House post on Facebook, where they share this link to the Chicago Public Schools Re-Opening Guide.
|
|
What are students telling us?
iMentor operates in Chicago and other cities and uses its Facebook and Twitter posts to share what it is learning from its students and volunteers during #covid19. Click here to view this post on Twitter.
It's not possible in a newsletter like this to feature more than a few examples of what youth organizations are posting. Thus, you need to develop your own on-going learning habits so you can find this information, learn from it, and share it with your own program network
|
|
Share stories of alumni success
The graphic at the right is a post on Twitter by HighSight, which has operated since early 1990s. This post shows work of one of their alumni, who leads a different youth serving organization in Chicago.
Drawing attention, volunteers and donors to a non-profit youth program is difficult, but on-going work. Posting to social media is one low-cost way to tell your story. ReTweeting or Liking these posts is a virtual volunteer role that anyone can take.
|
|
Make learning part of the culture of your organization, not just what you do to help youth.
While I host a library of websites that anyone can draw from I follow many education blogs where there is a constant stream of good ideas being shared. I point to these in my newsletters and social media. Others can do the same, drawing their own network of supporters to this information.
Here are some links to review:
|
|
Are you part of the GrowthWorks Conversation?
Last month I posted this blog article inviting Chicago area youth program leaders to be part of a consumer conversation hosted by the GrowthWorks consulting firm in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Read the blog article to learn more.
If you'd like to be interviewed, please contact GrowthWorks directly (using email in the blog article) or email Dan Bassill at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
|
|
|
Below are resources to use to help youth in your community.
|
|
Recent Tutor/Mentor blog articles:
* Our Children Need Your Help - Volunteer Recruitment Campaign History - click here
* Constant Challenge. How Can We Do this Better? - click here
* Help Build Chicago Tutor/Mentor Program Knowledge Base - click here
* Make Long-term tutor, mentor & learning programs available in more places - click here
* Hashtags I follow on Twitter. Use to expand your own network - click here
|
|
* National Mentoring Resource Center - Covid-19 resources - click here
* Incarceration Reform Digital Resource Center - click here
* ChiHackNight - remote civic technology meet-up; every Tuesday in Chicago - see agenda
*Chicago Youth Serving Organizations in Intermediary Roles-click here
Please help update this cmap and the links in the Tutor/Mentor web library. Just email me with additions or changes.
|
|
|
About this newsletter.
While I try to send this only once a month, I write blog articles weekly. Throughout the newsletter I post links to a few of the articles published in the past month or earlier. I encourage you to spend a little time each week reading these articles and following the links. Use the ideas and presentations in group discussions with other people who are concerned about the same issues.
Trying to understand purpose of this newsletter? Read this "What the Heck am I Trying to Do" article -click here
If the newsletter does not format correctly in your email, or if you want to return to it for future reading or to share with others, use this link.
Encourage friends, family, co-workers to sign up to receive this newsletter. Click here.
(If you subscribe, don't forget to respond to the confirmation email)
|
|
Tutor/Mentor Connection, Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC
Merchandise Mart PO Box 3303, Chicago, Il 60654
Thank you to those who help fund the
Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC and this newsletter. Contributions always welcome. Click here.
Connect with Dan (tutormentor) on one of these social media platforms.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Newsletter archive 
